The18thCentury英國18世紀文學(xué)課件

The18thCenturyTheAgeofEnlightenmentHistoricalBackground

A.AconstitutionalmonarchyAftertheGloriousRevolutiontherulingpowerinEnglandpassedfromthekingtotheparliament.B.Thecontinuous,large-scaleenclosuresoflandresultedinruralbankruptcy.Thepovertyandmiseryoftheexploitedandunemployedlaboringmassesinthecitiesincreased.C.The13formerBritishcoloniesinNorthAmericaAnnouncedtheirindependencein1776.D.TheIndustrialRevolution,whichstartedinthe1760s,exertedanimmenseimpactonhumanthinkingTheEnlightenmentMovement

The18th-centuryEnglandisknownastheAgeofEnlightenmentortheAgeofReason.TheEnlightenmentMovementwasaprogressiveintellectualmovementwhichflourishedinFrance&sweptthroughthewholeWesternEuropeatthetime.ThemovementwasafurtheranceoftheRenaissanceofthe15th&16thcenturies.Itspurposewastoenlightenthewholeworldwiththelightofmodemphilosophical&artisticideas.Theenlightenersconsideredthechiefmeansforthebettermentofthesocietywas“enlightenment”or“education”forthepeople.TheEnlightenercelebratedreasonorration,equality,scienceandhumanbeings’abilitytoperfectthemselvesandtheirsociety.Theycalledforareferencetoorder,reason&rules&advocateduniversaleducation.FamousamongthegreatenlightenersinEnglandwerethosegreatwriterslikeJohnDryden,Alexanderpope&soon.Neoclassicism

Inthefieldofliterature,theEnlightenmentMovementbroughtaboutarevivalofinterestintheoldclassicalworks.Thistendencyisknownasneoclassicism.Accordingtotheneoclassicists,allformsofliteratureweretobemodeledaftertheclassicalworksoftheancientGreek&Romanwriters(Homer,Virgil,&soon)&thoseofthecontemporaryFrenchones.Theybelievedthattheartisticidealsshouldbeorder,logic,restrainedemotion&accuracy,&thatliteratureshouldbejudgedintermsofitsservicetohumanity.Thisbeliefledthemtoseekproportion,unity,harmony&graceinliteraryexpressions,inanefforttodelight,instruct&correcthumanbeings,primarilyassocialanimals.Thus,apolite,urbane,witty,&intellectualartdeveloped.

SentimentalismSentimentalismisoneoftheimportanttrendsinEnglishliteratureofthemiddleandlaterdecadesofthe18thcentury.Alongwithanewvisionoflove,sentimentalismpresentedanewviewofhumannaturewhichprizedfeelingoverthinking,passionoverreason,andpersonalinstinctsof"pity,tenderness,andbenevolence"oversocialduties.Literaryworkofthesentimentalism,markedbyasinceresympathyforthepoverty-stricken,expropriated（征用）peasants,wrotethe"simpleannalsofthepoor”.Writersofsentimentalismjustlycriticizedthecrueltyofthecapitalistrelationsandthegrosssocialinjusticesbroughtaboutbythebourgeoisrevolutions.Buttheyattackedtheprogressiveaspectofthisgreatsocialchangeinordertoeliminateitandsighedforthereturnofthepatriarchaltimeswhichtheyidealized.SentimentalismembracesapessimisticoutlookandblamesreasonandtheIndustrialRevolutionforthemiseriesandinjusticesinthearistocratic-bourgeoissocietyand

indulgesinsentiment,hencethedefinitesignsofdecadenceintheliteraryworksofthesentimentaltradition.DevelopmentEarly18thCenturyneo-classicismAlexanderPope(poetry)proseliteratureAddisonandSteele(periodicals)thefirstrealisticfictionDefoeandSwiftMiddle18thCenturyrealisticnovelsRichardson,FieldingandSmollettdramaRichardBrinsleySheridanthelastdecadesofthe18thcenturyNeo-classicismSamuelJohnson(poetryandprose)sentimentalism

EdwardYoungandThomasGray(poetry)LaurenceSterneandOliverGoldsmith(prosefiction)pre-romanticism

WilliamBlakeandRobertBurns(poetry)Classification18世紀前期蒲伯（古典主義）艾迪生和斯蒂爾（古典主義\期刊文學(xué)）笛福與斯威夫特（現(xiàn)實主義小說）18世紀中期理查生（現(xiàn)實主義）菲爾丁（現(xiàn)實主義）斯摩萊特（現(xiàn)實主義）18世紀后期撒繆爾約翰遜（古典主義）勞倫斯斯泰恩（感傷主義）哥爾斯密（感傷主義）謝萊丹（18世紀的最偉大的戲劇家）格雷（感傷主義）布雷克（前浪漫主義）彭斯（前浪漫主義）DanielDefoeasuccessfulbusinessman,atypicalhardworkingEnglishmanathisageajournalistandpoliticalpamphleteer,anovelistHefavorsthecapitalist’adventureinannewworld.HisfirstandgreatestnovelisknownbyeveryoneinChinaonceasRobinsonCrusoe,themostfamoustaleofshipwreckandsolitarysurvivalinallliterature.HismajorworksDefoeisgenerallyconsideredthefirstgreatrealisticnovelistinEnglishfiction.Hebasedhisstoriesoncurrentevents&materials,suchasthemaps&logsofactualseavoyages,personalmemoirs&historicaloreyewitnessreports.

PerhapshismostpopularnovelisRobinsonCrusoe(1719)anadventurestorybasedpartlyontheactualexperienceofaman(In1704,AlexanderSelkirk,aScottishsailor,wasmarooned（孤立無援的）ontheislandofJuanFernandezintheAtlantic,andlivedtherealonefor4years.)whohadbeentrappedonadesertedisland.AJournalofthePlagueYear(1722)sometimesconsideredhisbestworkhassuchacolorful&detailedaccountoftheLondonplagueof1664&1665thatitseemstohavebeenwrittenbyanobserveronthescene.Defoe‘sthirdmasterpiece,MollFlanders(1722)isalivelynoveltracingtheadventuresofafemalerogue.Toldintheformof"confessions",thenarrativeincludesvividdescriptionsofthecourts,prisons,&othersocialinstitutionsofDefoe'sera.

TheCharacteristicsofhisNovels

DealwiththepersonalhistoryofsomeoftheheroesandheroinesTheall-powerfulinfluenceofmaterialcircumstancesorsocialenvironmentuponthethoughtsandactionsoftheheroortheheroinandthestruggleofthepoorunfortunateformereexistence,mixedwiththeirdesireforgreatwealtharehighlighted.(3)Thefirstliteraryworksdevotedtothestudyofproblemsofthelower-classpeople(4)Thedetailsofthenovelsareorganizedinavividwayandhisstoriesarebothcredibleandfascinating.(5)Hissentencesarevariable,sometimesshort,crispandplain,andsometimeslongandrambling,(6)Thelanguageissmooth,easy,colloquialandmostlyvernacular（本地的，方言的）.RobinsonCrusoe(1719)RobinsonCrouse,anadventurestoryverymuchinthespiritofthetime,isuniversallyconsideredhismasterpiece.Inthenovel,DefoetracesthegrowthofRobinsonfromanaive&simpleyouthintoamature&hardenedman,temperedbynumeroustrialsinhiseventfullife.TherealisticpresentationofthesuccessfulstruggleofRobinsonsingle-handedlyagainstthehostilenatureprovesthebestpartofthenovel.CharacteranalysisThecharacterRobinsonisnotcommonsailor.Heisabusinessmanwhotakesoverseasbusinessashiscause.Heisalsoatypicaleighteenth-centuryEnglishmiddle-classmanwithagreatcapacityforwork,inexhaustibleenergy,courage,patience&persistenceinovercomingobstacles,instrugglingagainstthehostilenaturalenvironment.Heistheveryprototypeoftheempirebuilder,thepioneercolonist.RobinsonisabourgeoisiewithadventurousspiritRobinsonisabourgeoisieofpracticalspirit.Robinsonisbourgeoisieofcolonizingcharacter.A.

Theartisticcharacterofthenovel:theconcretersofthedescriptionandvividness.Theauthordoesnotexpressthecharacterwithhiswordsbutletthecharactershowhimselfinhisownaction.Thecomplementsofcommentsanddiaries,B.

Limitation:a.

simplestructureb.looseandrepletionc.minorcharacterslackmuchimpressionJonathanSwiftIrish-born,oncewaspriestanddeanofaCathedralchurch,livedofteninEngland.SwiftisgenerallyconsideredthegreatestprosesatiristinEnglishliterature.Throughfables,allegories,&pamphletshesavagelyexposedthevices&folliesofmankind&championedcommonsense.He

defined

a

good

style

as

“proper

words

in

proper

places.”

Clear,

simple,

concrete

diction,

uncomplicated

sentence

structure,

economy

and

conciseness

of

language

mark

all

his

writingsessays,

poems

and

novels.

HisMainWorks

TheBattleofBooks

（ACollegeHistoryofEnglishLiterature,P245）

ATaleofaTub

AModestProposal

Gulliver’sTravels

(英國18世紀文學(xué)史，P101)Gulliver’sTravelsThebookconsistsoffourbooks,eachofwhichdealswithoneofthefourvoyagesofLemuelGulliver,theprotagonist,tothefourremoteandfantasticcountries–Lilliput,Brobdingnag,Laputa,andHouyhnhnms--afterhehasmetwithshipwrecks,orpiratesorotherunfortunatehappeningsonthesea.ThroughthedescriptionofGulliver’sadventures,Swiftstripsofftheveilthatcoversthehypocrisy,injustice,crudevicesofhissociety,toexposethemalltothesatire.Gulliver’sTravels(1726):amasterpieceofsatirenotonlyonallpartsofBritainbutalsoonthevice,follyandweaknessofthewholemankindPartI:voyagetoLilliput(小人國),thelandofminiaturePartII:voyagetoBrobdingnag

(大人國),thelandofgiantPartⅢ:voyagetoLaputa(飛島)PartIV:voyagetothelandofHouyhnhnms慧恩,具有人類理性的馬匹,anoblebreedofthinking,talking,high-mindedhorsesfilthyinferiorcreaturecalledYahoos:thehumanraceJonathan’spointofview:Houyhnhnms:nobleandrationalyetcoldanddullYahoos(格列弗游記中的一種人形獸):lowyetnatural1.Theirliteraryactivities:Theyjointlyrantwonewspapers,theTatler(from12April1709to2Jan.1711)andtheSpectators(from1March1711to6Dec.1712),andpublishedessaysdealingwithmanners,moralsandliterature.2.Theirimportance:TheiressaystruthfullyportrayedthesociallifeofEngland,andpavedthewayforthecomingoftheEnglishnovel.RichardSteele(1672-1729)&JosephAddison(1672-1719)HenryFieldingFatheroftheEnglishNovelHewasthegreatestplaywrightinhisowntime.Heisgenerallyregardedasthegreatestnovelistofthe18thcentury.Thefirsttowritespecificallya“comicepicinprose”(喜劇散文史詩),whose

subject

is

“the

true

ridiculous”

in

human

nature.MainWorks

TheHistoryoftheAdventuresofJosephAndrew

TheLifeofMrJonathanWild,theGreat

Amelia

TheHistoryofTomJones,aFoundling

DonQuixoteinEngland

TheHistoryofTomJones,aFoundlingTomJones,generallyconsideredFielding‘smasterpiece,bringsitsauthorthenameofthe“ProseHomer.”

Thepanoramicviewitprovidesofthe18thcenturyEnglishcountry&citylifewithdifferentplaces&about40charactersisunsurpassed.Thelanguageisoneofclarity&suppleness.Andlastofall,theplotconstructionisexcellent.Itisdividedinto3sections,6bookseach,clearlymarkedoutbythechangeofscenes:inthecountry,onthehighway&inLondon.Bythis,Fieldinghasindeedachievedhisgoalofwritinga"comicepicinprose."IntroductionofTomJonesGenre:anovelSetting:SomersetandLondonCharacters:SquireAllworthy,arich,childlesswidowerBridget,Allworthy’ssisterTomJones,Bridget’sillegitimateson,Allworthy’sadoptedchild（the

hero

of

the

story,

whoishonest,

kind-hearted,

highspirited,loyal,

and

brave,but

impulsive,

wanting

prudence

and

full

of

animal

spirit）MasterBlifil,Bridget’ssonbymarriageSquireWestern,alandlord,hisneighborBellaston,Sophia’skinswoman,livinginLondonSophia,Western’sdaughterPlot:（英國18世紀文學(xué)選，P211）1).Inthecountry.BothTomandBlifilareinlovewithSophia.WesternarrangesamarriagebetweenSophiaandBlifilwhoisAllworthy’sheir,butSophialovesTom.2).Ontheroad.SophialeaveshometogotoLondontoseekthehelpofrelativeinLondon,LadyBellaston.Ontheway,shemeetsTomwhohasbeenturnedawaybyAllworthybecauseBlifilconvertshisaffectionforTomintoanger.TheygotoLondontogether.3).InLondon.WhileSophiaandTomareinLondon,AllworthydiscoversthatTomishissisterBridget’sillegitimateson,andthatBlifilistreacherousperson.AllworthydisinheritsBlifilandmakesTomhisheir.HeandWesternarrangeamarriagebetweenTomandSophia.HisachievementinEnglishnovel

Fieldinghasbeenregardedbysomeas"FatheroftheEnglishNovel,"forhiscontributiontotheestablishmentoftheformofthemodernnovel.Ofalltheeighteenth-centurynovelistshewasthefirsttosetout,bothintheory&practice,towritespecificallya"comicepicinprose,"thefirsttogivethemodernnovelitsstructure&style.Beforehim,therelatingofastoryinanovelwaseitherintheepistolaryform(aseriesofletters),asinRichardson'sPamela,orthepicaresqueform(adventurouswanderings)throughthemouthoftheprincipalcharacter,asinDefoe'sRobinsonCrusoe,butFieldingadopted"thethird-personnarration,"inwhichtheauthorbecomesthe"all-knowingGod."He"thinksthethought"ofallhischaracters,soheisable-topresentnotonlytheirexternalbehaviorsbutalsotheinternalworkingsoftheirminds.Inplanninghisstories,hetriestoretainthegrandepicalformoftheclassicalworksbutatthesametimekeepsfaithfultohisrealisticpresentationofcommonlifeasitis.TheCharacteristicsof

ThomasGray’sPoetryAsafamouspoetof“theGraveyardSchool”,Hispoemscarryhisprofoundcontemplationaboutdeath,thesorrowsoflifeandthemysteriesofhumanlifewithatouchofhispersonalmelancholy.Asaconscientiousartistofthefirstrate,Graywroteslowlyandcarefully,painstakinglyseekingperfectionofformandphrase.Hispoemsarecharacterizedbyanexquisitesenseofform.(3)Hisstyleissophisticatedandallusive.(4)Hispoemsareoftenmarkedwiththeuniqueimages,rhythm,subtlestyleandthetraitofahighlyartificialdictionandadistortedwordorder.(5)Hispoetryhasauniquecharmofitsown.ThemeItisameditationonhumanmortality,thetragicdignityitgivestoallmankind,&thestability&serenityofrusticlife.TheElegyliesinGray'sperfectexpressionofwhatallmenfeelaboutlife&death.Inthispoem,Grayreflectsondeath,thesorrowsoflife&themysteriesofhumanlifewithatouchofhispersonalmelancholy.Thepoetcomparestheordinarypeoplewiththegreatones,wonderingwhatthecommonscouldhaveachievediftheyhadhadthechance.Hereherevealshissympathyforthepoor&theunknown,butmocksthegreatoneswhodespisethepoor&bringhavoconthem.

LanguageThepoemaboundsinimages&arousessentimentinthebosomofeveryreader.Thoughtheuseofartificialpoeticdiction&distortedwordordermakeunderstandingofthepoemsomewhatdifficult,theartisticpolish-thesurecontroloflanguage,imagery,rhythm,&hissubtlemoderationofstyle&tone-givesthepoemauniquecharmofitsown.Thepoemhasbeenrankedamongthebestofthe18thcenturyEnglishpoetry.ElegyWritteninaCountryChurchyard

1Thecurfewtollstheknellofpartingday,

2

Thelowingherdwindslowlyo'erthelea,

3Theplowmanhomewardplodshiswearyway,

4

Andleavestheworldtodarknessandtome

5Nowfadestheglimm'ringlandscapeonthesight,

6

Andalltheairasolemnstillnessholds,

7Savewherethebeetlewheelshisdroningflight,8

Anddrowsytinklingslullthedistantfolds;9Savethatfromyonderivy-mantledtow'r

10

Themopingowldoestothemooncomplain

11Ofsuch,aswand'ringnearhersecretbow'r,

12

Molestherancientsolitaryreign.

13Beneaththoseruggedelms,thatyew-tree'sshade,

14

Whereheavestheturfinmanyamould'ringheap,

15Eachinhisnarrowcellforeverlaid,

16

Therudeforefathersofthehamletsleep.

17Thebreezycallofincense-breathingMorn,

18

Theswallowtwitt'ringfromthestraw-builtshed,

19Thecock'sshrillclarion,ortheechoinghorn,

20

Nomoreshallrousethemfromtheirlowlybed.

21Forthemnomoretheblazinghearthshallburn,

22

Orbusyhousewifeplyhereveningcare:

23Nochildrenruntolisptheirsire'sreturn,

24

Orclimbhiskneestheenviedkisstoshare.

25Oftdidtheharvesttotheirsickleyield,

26

Theirfurrowoftthestubbornglebehasbroke;

27Howjocunddidtheydrivetheirteamafield!

28

Howbow'dthewoodsbeneaththeirsturdystroke!29LetnotAmbitionmocktheirusefultoil,

30

Theirhomelyjoys,anddestinyobscure;

31NorGrandeurhearwithadisdainfulsmile

32

Theshortandsimpleannalsofthepoor.

33Theboastofheraldry,thepompofpow'r,

34

Andallthatbeauty,allthatwealthe'ergave,

35Awaitsaliketh'inevitablehour.

36

Thepathsofgloryleadbuttothegrave.

37Noryou,yeproud,imputetothesethefault,38

IfMem'ryo'ertheirtombnotrophiesraise,

39Wherethro'thelong-drawnaisleandfrettedvault

40

Thepealinganthemswellsthenoteofpraise.

41Canstoriedurnoranimatedbust

42

Backtoitsmansioncallthefleetingbreath?

43CanHonour'svoiceprovokethesilentdust,

44

OrFlatt'rysoothethedullcoldearofDeath?

45Perhapsinthisneglectedspotislaid

46

Someheartoncepregnantwithcelestialfire;

47Hands,thattherodofempiremighthavesway'd,

48

Orwak'dtoecstasythelivinglyre.49ButKnowledgetotheireyesheramplepage

50

Richwiththespoilsoftimedidne'erunroll;

51ChillPenuryrepress'dtheirnoblerage,

52

Andfrozethegenialcurrentofthesoul.

53Fullmanyagemofpurestrayserene,

54

Thedarkunfathom'dcavesofoceanbear:

55Fullmanyaflow'risborntoblushunseen,

56

Andwasteitssweetnessonthedesertair.

57Somevillage-Hampden,thatwithdauntlessbreast

58

Thelittletyrantofhisfieldswithstood;

59SomemuteingloriousMiltonheremayrest,

60

SomeCromwellguiltlessofhiscountry'sblood.

61Th'applauseoflist'ningsenatestocommand,

62

Thethreatsofpainandruintodespise,

63Toscatterplentyo'erasmilingland,

64

Andreadtheirhist'ryinanation'